In this crazy universe, where petrol prices soar and where people are over-keen to express their character and individuality, I believe there might just be a little flutter of special air that floats around, using it's magical powers to alter, enhance, annoy and degrade the world.

It's what makes different people arrive at the same place at the same time - it buzzes through the sky unseen by anyone or anything, plucking at the heartstrings of so many, yet irritating the hell out of others.
It carresses your oxygen, making you breathe in it's scent - you long for it to be on your side, to give you a hand, to reassure you and to make things okay again.

It's what plants thoughts into your mind; making you wonder about that person, and question your entire outlook on life.
It reunites you with friends, joins people together, pulls people apart, and dictates life depending on 'what is meant to be.' It can be nasty, hurt, make you sad and break your heart - but it does, and always will, try to sort you out.

No matter how much it has killed you inside, it still continues to flutter around you - dancing in your shadows, drawing the perfect pathways in and trying to repel the roads you're not supposed to go down. It lets you make your own decisions, in the hope you get it right... and when you sometimes get it wrong, it's there, as a back up, slowly revealing it's plan for you.

And in the end, it's always right. Things always work out, you love the people you're meant to and eventually, although it may take it's time, your life is meant to be the way it is.

So I’ve kinda been thinking lately about heaven… not for any particular reason, but you know, one of those whilst-i’m-trying-to-get-to-sleep moments (I swear at that time I think way to philosophically about things).

Anyway. Everyone has some kinda few on heaven, whether they ‘believe’ in it or not. A bright field, angels, beauty, reunion with those you’ve lost. But if you think about it properly, truly think about it, heaven would be hell.

If you lose your life partner prematurly, and then fall in love all over again, who do you go to first when you’re in heaven? How can you go straight to your first love when that other person picked you up, made you smile, became your everything? How could you possibly choose between the two people that at different times in your life have been your everything? You can’t have both, so seriously, how do you look one in the eye and say that you don’t need them anymore?

And what about if you’ve disappointed someone who’s looked down on you. You’ve screwed up, and get a frosty reception when you’re behind the golden gates… do you listen to them? Ignore them? Apologise? It was your life, you can’t do anything about it now, but what if they won’t drop it? Can’t look at you or can’t stand the person you’ve become since they left?

Then there’s anger. When someone you love dies, although it’s not really there fault, you’re angry. Do you push that aside or do you break down in a combination of joy and anger? Do you yell at them, ask them why they left you, or do you simply smile, forget, and give them a hug?

I would love to think of heaven as being like a block of flats that is personal to you. All the people you’ve ever loved has their own flat, which is simply their favourite place. You visit everyone as you please; spend lots of time with certain people, not so much time with others. You socialise, smile, and live that way, forever. But even that would have it’s problems. People might be annoyed you’re not ‘visiting’ them often. Friends might become jealous you’re spending more time with a certain other friend than them. People might not even want you to visit anymore.

But if I’m honest, I think I would rather have a little block of flats with a few problems than not at all. If there is no heaven, then it would be so empty, dull, boring… although of course it wouldn’t even be that - it would simply be nothing.

So I wrote a letter to the Prime Minister - and thought I should share it with you all. It's going to be sent tomorrow.

Dear Prime Minister

I am writing to you after watching today’s news in regards to raising university fees.

I’m not sure you really understand what it’s like to be a teenager in today’s Britain. We are the most tested generation ever – we have been tested since we were seven years old and have gone through all the stresses of three sets of SAT’s, GCSE’s, AS’s and A levels.

A couple of weeks ago, I was wading through prospectuses planning out where I’d go for university. Today, those dreams I made have been completely shattered.

I do not come from a wealthy family. I do not have inheritance or savings to see me through my years at university – by raising fees you have completely ruined the chances for normal, average teens like me of going.

We go through the pressure of all those exams and study really hard, for what? Being unable to get to the highest level of education we’ve been studying for for our entire lives is absolutely devastating.

I am well aware of today’s financial predicament. I’m not, however, entirely sure as to why you’re jeopardising Britain’s future. All I ask is for you to use your imagination and step into our shoes. You’ll study, study study... take exams... stress about your results... worry for a number of weeks... get your results... and study again. This loop will continue for several years, until finally, it’s almost all over. You only have to do the loop one more time, and then, at the very end, you hit a brick wall.

The coalition needs to start listening to the young people; because the youth of today is Britain’s tomorrow.

Everybody has a right to a good education. My right has sadly been taken away, simply because I’m not rich enough.

Sincerely,

Charlotte Rule

When my mother was 3 years old, my grandad made her watch Apollo 11 land on the moon because she would be 'witnessing a miracle.'

Similarly, she made me watch Pope Benedict XVI celebrate his Inauguration Mass. Not because it was a miracle as such, but because 'it doesn't happen very often' and I would 'remember it.'

Yesterday, October 13th, I believe I witnessed 33 miracles... all of which I will definately never forget.

I woke at 6am with anticipation and anxiety - after watching the news until past midnight, I knew some of the Chilean miners would be out. The rescuers had managed to save four at this point.

I was actually fairly surprised at how well they looked, and although I'd previously seen clips of them on the news from inside the mine, I was still expecting shabby, 'castaway' lookalikes.

Each miner smiled extatically as they hugged their wives, girlfriends, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers. Some fell to the ground and prayed, overwhelmed at being (quite literally) on top of the world.

The amount of sheer compassion each of the miner's shared; and the way that all the rescuers and relatives stuck together in the 69 agonising days will never fail to amaze me.
I'm very glad the whole world watched these miracles - and I hope each of the miners gets a great deal of compensation, sponsorship and gifts from people: they deserve to be recognised and respected.

As for you all out there, when something unusual happens - even if it seems a bit boring at the time - watch it. Stare. Be shocked. Laugh. Cry. Ask questions... whatever. Make sure you record that moment because you may just be witnessing a miracle.

I've decided that I should be a detective. A private detective... sounds pretty good, huh?
The thing is, I'm too nosey/inquisitive/curious/intrusive for my own good. I know too much about people that I'm supposed to hardly know... and you know how I do this? Facebook.
People may try to be all secretive... but they fail. They don't realise that when they write something to someone, 9 times out of 10 there's a nosey fucker somewhere else reading it. They may upload photos and choose the option that says 'do not share to newsfeed', but again, little do they know there's always someone having a good ol' gander, looking at what they're getting up to. And, in most cases, that person is probably me.
Everyone, without realising, is a nosey bastard. Why else would they get a facebook account? After all, that's what it's all about isn't it? Wanting to be in the know with the newest happenings. It's like a massive gossip database; all you have to do is search the person you want to know the latest with.

Ruth is in a relationship with Bob? Oooh, she left a love heart to him... OMG he's talking to HER?! "Rita is now single" WHAT! but she's been with him for aaaaaaages? - Sound familiar? If it does, then you, my dear friend, are a beautiful nosey bastard.
You can use this natural curiosity in many ways. You can ignore it by being indenial, and pretending you simply don't care (which you obviously do) or you could use it to your advantage.

Go crazy. Look at everyone's profile's and laugh at how nosey you can really be. Hold your head up high with pride when you bump into someone you haven't seen a while, and they tell you about what they've been up to... because inside you can smile at the fact that you already know.

Today, an old friend of mine told me that her Dad has been diagnosed with brain cancer and only has 6 months to live. All of a sudden really silly things, like England losing to Germany on Sunday, seem so trivial in comparison. As half of England were angered and upset about being knocked out of the world cup, a beautiful young 16 year old was trying to come to terms with the fact that her doting father won't be around for much longer.
It got me thinking about how people need to sort their priorities out. Yesterday, two planes flew home - one with the underachieving footballers, and another with coffins containing true heroes... yet you can probably bet that the heroes arrival will be brushed under the carpet as newspaper headlines all concentrate on that one goal. My point is, so many people are beside themselves with grief, heartache and sadness - whilst others are so wrapped up in themselves, they're forgetting what's truly important.
If you are reading this, do yourself a favour... forget absolutely everything for a day, and just make sure your family and closest friends know how much you love them - because unfortunately, life can often be very cruel; and you never really know how much longer you have left.